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Burnley pan attacker with 'dreadful record' is jailed

A DRUNKEN woman who repeatedly hit her partner over the head with a saucepan and then tried to knife him, is behind bars for 16 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Carmen Dean, 44, had herself suffered domestic violence – but not at the hands of victim Gustav Gugi – and her attacker had inflicted a serious head injury.

She had since had three strokes and been left with memory loss – which prompted judge Beverley Lunt to say her behaviour was ‘beyond belief’.

Dean, a heroin addict for many years, was said to have turned to excessive drinking when she kicked her drug habit.

She had gone for Mr Gugi with the knife when he was wearing two coats, one of them leather and although the weapon went through the layers of clothing, he was not cut.

He was found staggering in the streets, shaking and upset, by a friend and told her his girlfriend had ‘whacked him’ on the head with a pan and stabbed him.

The hearing was told the defendant had a ‘dreadful record’ with almost 50 offences on it, and in September 2012 was locked up for a year for mugging frail 78-year-old dementia sufferer William Robinson in the street.

Dean had targeted the former Burnley publican because he was vulnerable and his family said afterwards her actions had ‘ripped his life apart’.

The defendant earlier admitting two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, last November 20 and 21.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Mr Gugi had at that time been with Dean for 11 years.

He believed she was schizophrenic and would say she drank too much and took drugs as well.

Last November 20, they were at her home on Smith Street, Nelson, and he could see she was going to lose it and kick off.

He decided to leave before anything happened, went to the back door and Dean hit him across the head with a saucepan three times. The victim managed to run off.

He suffered bumps and bruises and spent the rest of the night wandering round the town centre as Dean had his house keys.

Mr Parker said the next day, Mr Gugi was going to the defendant's house for the keys, bumped into her on the back street and asked for them.

Dean said she didn't have them, was getting aggressive and angry and he decided to leave.

He was making some toast when he was struck across the head three times with the same saucepan.

The victim made towards the back door, Dean had a knife in her hand and went towards him with it. Mr Gugi put up his arm to protect himself and the defendant stabbed him through his clothing. He met his friend in the street and was taken to hospital.

Richard Taylor, for Dean, said in 2012, she had successfully completed drug detoxification. She had significant mental and physical problems. Mr Gugi had problems as well.

The solicitor said: “They stayed at each other's houses and they drank far too much. She accepts the relationship is over.”